Smoked Beer Can Chicken with Dry Rub

Tender juicy smoke-kissed chicken with a sweet-spicy rub cooked on a grill is one of life’s many pleasures. This recipe is sugar-free and perfect for low carb keto diets.

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It’s finally football season and there’s nothing tastier than a nice piece of smoked beer can chicken to eat while watching the game or tailgating with friends!

Beer can chicken has been around for more than 20 years and is still a popular dish. One reason for its popularity is that you can cook a beer can chicken in the oven, on a gas grill, on a charcoal grill or on a pellet grill/smoker. Whatever method is employed, the chicken is always flavorful, tender, and juicy.

I first heard about beer can chicken when I received my first grilling book - Steven Raichlin’s, “How To Grill”. He is credited as the inventor of the original tasty recipe. His book is awesome and a gateway to his newer book, “Project Smoke”, which is the ultimate guide on how to smoke. It’s a must have for those who are interested in getting the most flavor out of their backyard smokers.

I’ve made beer can chicken on my gas grill before and it was easy. But, the acquisition of a Traeger Pellet Grill was a game-changer! We are obsessed with backyard smoking and want to smoke all the things! And, smoked beer can chicken is amazing.

What is beer can chicken?

Beer can chicken is a method of cooking a whole chicken over indirect heat that results in flavorful, tender and juicy chicken. The application of a dry rub to the outside of chicken flavors the skin. A half-full can of beer placed in the cavity helps the chicken stay propped up during cooking. The liquid in the beer can supposedly steams the inside of the chicken and keeps it moist.

Beer can chicken is generally smoked but if you have a gas grill you can use a smoker box to achieve that characteristic smokey flavor. When I lived in Texas, my dad used to add soaked mesquite pods to the charcoal briquettes on his grill to get a smoky flavor. It was awesome. We kids would fight about who’s turn it was to throw on the next handful.

Beer Can Chicken Rub

I like a sweet and spicy rub for beer can chicken. My favorite beer can chicken rub is my BBQ dry rub for chicken and pork. You can also use lemon pepper or any other good tasting rub. My husband likes a good cajun rub and has also used Old Bay Seasoning before, too.

How to Cook Beer Can Chicken

To prepare the chicken, remove the gross bits in the cavity. Dry the chicken with paper towels, inside and out. Rub oil on the entire outside of the bird - don’t forget under/around the legs and wings. Season the whole bird, inside and out, with your favorite dry rub. I add a little more salt unless the rub is salty.

I don’t drink beer, so I pour out a little beer out of the can and then add 1-2 teaspoons of my seasoning rub to what’s left. Place the beer can up into the chicken cavity so the chicken is standing up. Sometimes, the chicken doesn’t want to stand up so I use a more stable ceramic beer chicken base instead of a beer can. I use a Traeger Chicken Throne and I love it because my chicken doesn't fall over!

Bend the wings back behind the body, like you would to prepare a roast chicken, so they don’t burn. I place the chicken on a tray and put it my pellet grill. The tray provides a little extra stability but it’s not required.

How Long to Smoke Beer Can Chicken (Pellet Grill)

After preheating, I set my pellet grill to 350 degrees. When it reaches temperature, I cook for 1 - 1 ½ hours or until the thickest part of the thigh reaches 165 degrees. Make sure to let the chicken rest uncovered for at least 15 minutes before enjoying. If tented lightly with foil, it will stay hot for over an hour, although the skin will soften.

The time will vary depending on how big your chicken is and how many you are smoking at once. If you are smoking one, you might as well do two! I absolutely LOVE smoking beer can chicken on my pellet grill!

Beer Can Chicken on a Gas Grill

Turn on one side of the grill. When the grill reaches 350 degrees F, put the chicken on the other side of the grill to cook indirectly. Cook about 1 - 1 ½ hours or until the thickest part in thigh registers 165 degrees on an instant read thermometer.

Let the chicken rest uncovered for at least 15 minutes before enjoying. If tented lightly with foil, it will stay hot for over an hour. You can buy a smoker box for your gas grill to get a nice smoke flavor on the chicken. I did this for years.

Beer Can Chicken in the Oven

You can cook beer can chicken in the oven. It’s not exactly the same, but it’s still pretty darn good. Move the oven rack down to the lower third or bottom rack depending on the size of your oven. You may want to rub/brush a little liquid smoke on your bird before running in oil and with the dry rub to add that smoky flavor.

Prepare the chicken as mentioned above, place it standing up on a cookie sheet. Bake at 350 for 1 - 1 ½ hour or until the thickest part of the thigh registers 165 on your oven thermometer.

What if You Don't Drink Beer? Beer Can Chicken Without Beer!

Make soda chicken! If you don't drink beer you can still use this technique to make chicken. I suggest using a can of sprite, coke, ginger-ale or rootbeer. Make sure to use the real thing (with sugar). Heating diet sodas can change the chemical composition of some artificial sweetener to something unsafe. The contents of the can don't really get on the meat (although there can be a little steam that flavors the cavity), but I understand that not everyone buys alcoholic beverages.

Enjoy the recipe!

Perfect BBQ Dry Rub For Chicken and Pork

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